Roofing-tile machine



.Oct. 7, 1930. la. GRE'rscHl-:L

ROOFING TILE MACHINE 5 sheets-sheetl 1 vFiled April l5, 1927 ze ze 29 HHHHH HHHHH ATTORNEY wxTNEss:

Oct. 7, 1930. R. GRETscHEl. 1,777,917

ROOFING TILE MACHINE Filed April 15, 1927 5 Sheets-sheet 2 R. GRTscHl-:L

ROOFING TILE MACHINE 1 Oct. 7, 1930.

5 shts-sneet s Filed April 15, 1927 INVENTOR ATTORNEY lamented @et '7, 1930 .iaunol'ifrri GiiE'r'scnEL, or Balarm, Niiw JERSEY n Y Recrute-TILE MACHINE rlhe present invention 'relates to arrimprovedroofing tile `machine and method for i marking: tiles,"and the purpose of the invenf tion is Ato provide such improvements as will 2i 5 not `only simplify the Vconstruction'and arf rangement of such machines, but will facili- `tate the` process of making tiles and more `readily coloring them.

"liferetofore'tiles, building` blocks, `and sim. M10 ilar articlesof manufacture have been made by a pressing ortamping process, which is A`more or lesstedious, and very unsatisfactory i 1 n owing to necessitating too much care in evenly i distributing the plastic material in the molds.

` '`li2iles made in thiswayV lare thicker at certain i C portionsthanat others and are consequently 1 heavier `atthethiclrer portions, thereby prei venting the tilesfrom being eveV ly and accurately 'laid in order toiproperly iit, especially W3 asthe tiles are requiredto be disposedto break i joints.

surface ofthe tile, to more evenly distribute Y `the plastic material and to smooth off the uppersurface, the trowel. step also being used 5 for spreading or distributing the surface coli.

' Sons.

' oring for the tile.

JAnother purpose is to provide'the tile rolling device with a shoe,which forms a desiredconfiguration on the upper surface ofthe tile and also suitable locking ribs adjacent one side ofthe'tile,'with which loclringgrooves;

on the underface of an adjacenttile may interengage, whereby the tiles for a roof may m 'be laid inlsequence, one' row breakingqoints with an ad] acent row.

Practical tests and Aand trowelling process forumaking tiles isan A advance over the tamping or packing proc,-v 45 ess, thatis where a plunger is usedforpack-v i A tion ofthedevice according to circumstances,

\ ing the material into a mold. i

Still anotherpurpose is to provide means 'to prevent lateral movement of the rolling` device, which is operatively mounted on the 50; frame of the machine through the medium Appiicatio sied Apr-11 i5,

Itis, therefore, the purpose of the presentA inventionV `toprovide a machine including means for `i'irst rolling theftile, subsequently, 5 to initially spreading the plastic material ,onA the pallet by hand, and `then trowelling the Ythereon mayv be removed in order that it may "carry it to `a receptacle,

` i waste.` actual reduction to` practice hasdisclosed the fact that a rolling of racks gears, the inter-engagement of"` the latter causing the rolling device vtoretain its position over the tile forming pallet, the y. racks and gears including means to prevent K the plasticmaterial from filling upthe spaces between the teeth ofthel racks and the teeth of the gears. j f A further purpose is tofprovide means on the Vpallet for forming inter#locking` connections between the ends of thetiles, that is-GO interlocking thetiles of one row to theiends of the tiles'ofanadjacent row inlaying a tile roof, the inter-locking connectionsbeing 1 so arranged as `to permit the tiles4 to. :break y joints.` `i ,if-,.65 A still `further` purpose to .provide af device for spanning one "end of .the'itile former, for constructing 4,on the upper VfaceV of thetile at one' end means to insure the i inter-locking connections between the vends `70 i of the tiles ofi one rowzwith the ends of the tiles of-anj adjacentrow.

Furthermore, the invention includes means manually actuated for raisingthe pallet with thetile thereon above the surface of the tile former, whereby the pallet i withuthe :tile

be arranged ondrying racks, the tile `to thoroughly dry and season. Obviously the longer the tile dries thejmore thorough the tile sea" The ,invention "also Iembodies for supporting the rolling `device when not in use', there being a chute `or hopper below the i upperpart of theframe of the machiu'eto receive the overflow"`1of plastic` material and from which it may be removed and reagitated and iniiredfwith other plastic material, thereby avoiding any It istobe understood that the particulars herein Agiven are in no way limitive andthat while still `lreeniirg within the scope of `the inventiom any desired modification of details and proportions may bemade in the construc-` Th'e invention comprises further features and combinations of `parts to'be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings `Y Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved rooting tile machine constructed in accordance with the invention, and showing the rolling device in position readv to roll tile.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine, also showing a trowel disposed transversely of the tile former or box, to show how the trowel is used.

Figure 3 is a transvers sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure l is a transverse sectional view of the shoe of the rolling device.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view et the pallet showing the upper face thereof.

Figure 6 Vis a detail perspective view ot the pallet showing the under face thereof.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective vi'cw of a knife to be disposed transversely ot one end of the tile former, to in forming parts of inter-connections between the ends of the tiles.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing the construction ofV the teeth of the rack and the gears ofthe rol-ling device.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the trowel.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of a tile, showing the upper face thereof.

Figure 11 is a detail perspective el a tile showing its under face.

Figure 12 is a sectional view in detail showing the use of the trowel.

Referring to the drawings:

1 identifies a. frame, which comprises two side sections, 2, identically constructed. These side sections are each vcast in one piece. The legs and the upper bars of these side castings or sections are angular in cross-section. The side castings or sections are connected by upper cross-bars, 3, and by lower end bars, 4,-.

This frame supports a tile former -or b oX 5, which is open top and bottom, and arranged on t-he interior of this former or box is a pallet supporting ledge 6, and as shown clearly in Figure 3 a pallet 7 rests upon the ledge, the plastic Vmaterial to be rolled out on the pallet to form a tile 8, the pallet on its upper face is provided with a longitudinal rib 9 semi-circular in cross-section, and this rib consists of two parts 10 and 10a, which are spaced as at 11.

Also formed in the upper face of the pallet adjacent one end thereof are two cavities 12 to receive plastic material to `form lugs 13 on the under tace of the tile at one end, the lugs 13 to assist in holding the tiles in position when laid to form a roof.

The other end of the pallet onits upper tace also has recesses or cut-away portions 11i to torni lugs 15 on the end face ot' the tile to engage longitudinal grooves 15a on upper face of the tiles of an adjoining row.

The pallet on its upper face adjacent one of its longitudinal edges is formed with ribs 16, which when the plastic material such as cement or the like is spread upon the pallet form grooves 17 in the end face of the tile, to lock in engagement with ribs 19 formed on the upper tace of the tile adjacent the opposite edge. The ribs 19 are constructed on the upper face of the tile through the medium of an oscillating shoe 20, which has a rolling action over the surface of the plast-ic material,- `TheA shoe is constructed segmental in cross-section and is operatively suspended trom an axle or shaft 21.

Suitable gears 22 move with the shaft 21 and with the shoe. These gears 22 co-operatively engage with racks 23, which are mounted upon the upper part of the frame 1. The teeth of the racks 23 are of substantial pitch, and their crotches, that is between the teeth, are V-shaped, the purpose being to permit the plastic material to be discharged from between the teeth as the gears 22 engage therewith. Heretoliore it has been found that the plastic material collects between the teeth and prevents the gears of the rolling device from accurately and properly engaging with the racks, it being possible tor the rolling device to not onlyV disengage from the raclrs but also raise, and thereby prevent the plastic material from being evenly7 distributed in the `forming boX and upon the pallet. The

teeth oi the gears are made to discharge the material 'from between the teeth ot the racks,

' to further insure accuracy of engagement of Athe teeth of the gears with those of the racks.

The side castings or sections ot the traine have rear extensions 24, which also support certain ends ot the racks to permit the rolling device to be moved rearwardly out of the wav and enabling the pallet and tile to be raised out ot the tile forming box.

Extending below the frame of the machine is a chute 25 which long enough and wide enough to catch the overflow of plastic material, there being a receptacle 26 below the discharge end ot' the chute to receive the overflow of plastic material, allowing it to be returned to and through the chute or be more thoroughly mixed with other plastic material to be consumed therewith and thereby reducing waste to a minimum.

A portion of the chute 25 has a bearing 27 through which a plunger or shaft 28 operatively engages. The shaft or plunger 28 operatively supports a spider 29, which when the pallet is receiving the plastic material assists in operatively supporting the pallet. The lower end of the shaft or plunger 28 has a slot and pin connection 3() with a long arm 31 ot an angle lever 32. The short arm ot the lever 32 terminates in a toot pedal 33, with which the foot ol an operator may engage for tilting the lever and moving the shaft or plunger 28 longitudinally through `spider `29. When the shaft or plunger 28 is so moved, the spider engagesunder Athe pallet, raises the pallet bodily and with itvthe tile. The pallet Vwith the moist tile thereon may be removed from the spider and dis posedrin drying frames, where a uniform temperature of heat acts to thoroughly season and dry the tile.

The rolling device as previously stated is Y segmental in cross-section, the arcuate face of clearly in Figure 2 of the drawings, when the' knifel is disposed transversely of the former or the shoe of the rolling device being of suf? cientarea that'when the device is moved from end of the machine, the full area of the-shoe will roll `overthe entire surface ofthe plastic material in one operation, that is when the deback again to the rear end of the frame where the rolling device is supported, until it is de sired to form another tile.

f The face of the shoe near one Vend has grooves 34 for forming the ribs 19, while the otherendof the face ofthe shoe and its intermediate portion is provided with relatively wide grooves 35 and 36, which form longitudina'l ribs 37 and 38 on the upper face off the tile,therelativelyf'wide rib 37 being adacent one edge of the tile, while the rib 38 i being substantially centrally of the tile.

n The teeth of the gea-rs 22 are formed correspondingly to theteeth of the racks so as to prevent lateral movementof the rolling de-` vice.

^ The arm'39 depends from one ofthe'trans- 'i n versebars 4 of the frame, and pivotally sup` ports the lever 32 as atv40. V

Alt one end of the former or bon, in which the tile is formed and which receives the pallet is an offset shoulder 41', which forms' an angular recess 42 in one end of the tile.

As shownin Figure7 a relatively thin knife y 43 is provided and near one end thereof an angular offset or shoulder 44 is formed. The

opposite sides of the former or box of the tile machine havenotches45 and 45a, which rebox. Obviously when the knife is in position as in Figure 2 its offset or shoulder 44 forms an angular recess 46 in one end of the tile adjacent certain ends of the ribsr19.

lend of the trowel are grooves `o`r"1'1"`iotches"53` Also' adjacent thel handles` 51 of the trowel are shoulders 54which ride upon the`-longi Vtudina'l sides of the bo'X or former, when the `trowel is'moved backward and forward over,

` A l box or former. When thetrowel is movedtothe position shown in Figure-1 to the front 5 ward the rear end ofthe boXorformer the operator curves or moves it d wnwardlyto` design or `GQ11- figuration to the tile. i

` The rib 8 of the pallet formshollows lonlgitudinally of the tilewhile the cavities"12 form lugs 13 on the end face of the tile;

` l In the operation, a pallet is`- disposed'in the former or box `in a. position to restj upon `the ledge G, and then a suitable plastic material such as concrete, cement or the like, is distributed overthe surface of thelpallet by hand.

lThe rolling device iis' then moved from the rear end of the i machine, that is"`the end "form a, rounding surface '55 at oneV end of n i the tile, toinsure a particular vice is moved toward the operator and then where the rolling Vdeviceis supported lwhen notj in use, `to a positionindicated linEig-ure 1, the -fse'gmental shoe l being `so i positioned that when the rollingdeviceis` movefd-.to- `ward :theu operator thelface of thefshoezwill act to spread the plastic` material more evenly over the pallet, thefaee lof the shoe formingf the grooves-19 andthe ribs 37 aiidjl38; vThe knife 48 Vis thenfplaced in position toengage of the tile, the' rib having the angular recesses 42 and `46.` The trowel 49 is then -placedin position `as indicated infFigure 2, and it isfmoved longitudinally ofthe face smoothing it off, `more evenly distributing the `particles OfplaSticmaterial, and as theV trowel is moved toward" the rear end of the4 tile, the trowel is given an arcuate movement downwardly, so as to impart to one endof the `tile `a curved design or configuration. When the trowel is so operated the rolling device is moved to a position at lthe rear end of the frame, thatfis supportedlby the extension 24. In case the tile is to be colored,

\ the notches 45 and 45a; lAthin bladed knife i Vis then used by" the operator `to spread the plastic material between the `knife 43 i and@ the front end ofthe former or' boX, thereby Constructing the" transverse rib 56 at one end lll) of the plastic material, more thoroughly a suitable coloring matter or liquid of the e proper consistency is poured on the centre of the tile, and then the trowel is againfpassed two or three times over the face of the tile, preading the coloring mater over he entire ace.

The coloring `matter will easily spread and run as the trowel is movedback and forth. Such action of the trowel willv i iltuuu further act to spread and more thoroughly compact'the plastic material. After so coloring the tile the operator may apply foot pressure on the pedal 33, tilting the lever 32, imparting an upward movement to the plunger. or shaft 28, causing the spider to engage under the pallet and lift up suii ciently above the marginal. edge of the for mer or box, whereby the operator by hand may remove the pallet and the tile thereon,

and place the pallet in a drying frame, allow-l ing the tile lto readily dry and suiiiciently season.

y The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is f v In a. roong tile machine, the combination` i with a frame having side and end rabbeted flanges at the top of the frame including a tile forming pallet in the rabbets of the flanges, said frame having a rear end eXten- A sion, the tops of the sides of the frame having racks adjacent' the flanges, the rear end extension having racks in a line with and spaced from the first racks, of an oscillating Segment shoe, a pair of gears riding on the first racks and having a shaft connecting the gears, the shaft carrying the oscillating shoe, which is formed on its curved face to cooperate with the pallet to form a tile as the shoe oscillates over the pallet, the arcuate end edges of the shoe beingriveted or recessed to receive the side anges of the frame to prevent endwise movement of the shoe and the pair of gears, the crotches between the teeth of the racks being V-shaped to prevent clogging between the gears and the racks, the racks of the rear extension being curved to conform with the gears to prevent the gears from rolling off when the shoe is oss cillated from over the pallet, and means to elevate the pallet for permitting its removal with the tile thereon, the side flanges at the top of the frame acting as guides for a. trowel which moves over and forms the face of the tile, and a trough between the sides of the frame and the sides of the rear extension,`

said trough extending forwardly beyond the pallet and rearwardly to the eXtreme end of the rear extension frame to insure catching the surplus plastic material.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature hereto.

' RUDOLPH GRETSCHEL. 

